Samsung Galaxy Note 5 hands-on and first impressions

We're witnessing a change in direction for the Note line — and it could alienate some of its most loyal customers.

Samsung's Galaxy Note line has historically given us as a strong bump in performance, features and design over the Galaxy S device of the year, creating a six-month interval between releases of its leading devices. The latest Galaxy S usually defines Samsung's direction for the year — which tentpole features are important, what the software will look like and the how the marketing will be positioned. The Galaxy Note series follows its own parallel (but distinctly separate) path, working with its much-loved larger screen to fit in even better specs while bringing in a few design changes along the way.

Things are a little different this year. The Galaxy S6 marked a complete overhaul of the Galaxy S line, with a new hardware approach and a streamlining of the software that cut back on bloat and superfluous features. Instead of changing it all up again just six months later, Samsung is launching the Galaxy Note 5 (and the Galaxy S6 edge+) with a very similar look, feature set and software experience. The new metal construction with a glass back returns, as does that great 16-megapixel rear camera — and just like the GS6 you won't be removing the battery or adding an SD card to the Note 5, which is a big change of pace.

The changes may not be dramatic compared to the Galaxy S6, but there's a lot to wrap your head around when looking at the differences between the latest Galaxy Note and its year-old predecessor. We had a chance to use the Galaxy Note 5 and generate some initial impressions on the phone — and our preview will tell you everything you need to know.

Galaxy Note 5 hands-on video

There's a lot going on with the announcement of both the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 edge+, so we've wrapped the big points up in our hands-on preview video right here. Check out the video, then read on for our full impressions.

Well, it's a big Galaxy S6

Galaxy Note 5 hardware

Samsung clearly is happy with its handiwork on the Galaxy S6, because the Galaxy Note 5 carries over that glass and metal look almost entirely, just in a larger size. The same style of metal frame wraps around the outside of the Note 5 and runs through its center, only broken along the edges by buttons, ports and fine lines for antennas. The volume keys are high up on the left edge, with the power button lower and on the right — a standard Micro USB port is on the bottom along with a headphone jack and speaker grille. There's also a new slot to hold the S Pen flush with the bottom of the phone, retractable with a press of your finger (more on this below).

Samsung must be happy with the Galaxy S6 design, because it's here again in full force.

Front-on and from more than a few feet away you can't tell a Note 5 apart from a Galaxy S6, as both have a very similar shape and screen-to-bezel ratio. The 5.7-inch display on the Note 5 makes it bigger than the GS6, of course, but the difference isn't that dramatic thanks to an overall size that's smaller than the Note 4. Where things change is on the back — Samsung has chosen to take the curved glass technology seen on the Galaxy S6 edge and use it here to give the phone a more comfortable feel.

The otherwise flat piece of glass on the back of the Note 5 curves off on the left and right edges at the exact same radius as the front of the GS6 edge, and it makes the Note 5 easier to hold than you'd think. The curve fits your fingers and palm very nicely, and when combined with the slightly smaller dimensions it makes it just a bit easier to reach across the phone and up to the top. The curve also gives the Note 5 a bit of extra glimmer and shine when the light hits it and the color underneath.

The other side of the coin is the loss of a removable battery and SD card slot.

Speaking of color, the Note 5 comes in at least three options — black sapphire, white pearl, gold platinum — but of course availability will vary depending on your market (black and white are pegged for the U.S.). It really completes the feeling that the Note 5 is very much in the same family as the Galaxy S6, unlike the previous generations, which felt like they were on different design tracks.

As the two ranges converge, that of course means that the Note 5 has lost two of its most lauded features for power users — the removable battery and SD card slot. Just like the Galaxy S6, the Note 5 is a sealed device with no expandability. And just like with the Galaxy S6, it's going to leave more than a few people feeling left out in the cold. But Samsung is sticking to its guns — the design, materials and complete package are more important than those two features, it believes.

Stacking it up against the Note 4

Getting past my initial thoughts of "well, that just looks like a bigger Galaxy S6," I actually like how the design works in this larger size. While the Note 5's looks may not blow you away if you're familiar with the GS6, anyone using a Note 4 today will be taken aback by the dramatic design change. It's lightyears ahead of the Note 4 — which itself ushered in a sharper metallic design for the series. In terms of looks, and the combination of metal and glass just feels better than the flimsy plastic that coated the back of last year's Note.

The Note 5 appears slicker, but the curved glass and smaller dimensions make it easier to hold.

Though it may appear slicker, the Note 5 is on par ergonomically with the Note 4, with the curved glass on the back doing a lot to balance this otherwise angular phone. (I really wonder what the Galaxy S6 would've felt like had it incorporated such a curved back.) A phone with a 5.7-inch display is always going to be somewhat unwieldy, but the new design has shrunk the Note 5 in every dimension compared to the Note 4, which is just as important.

The Note 4 was no slouch in terms of performance, but it couldn't match the speed of the Galaxy S6 — and the Note 5 runs on a very similar platform as its smaller sibling. An octa-core Exynos processor is at the helm, and a healthy 4 gigabytes of RAM backs it up. The new internals are powering the same QHD resolution Super AMOLED display, simply at a larger size, and when paired up with the latest software the Note 5 seems really fast.

Not to be understated is the move to the exact same camera setup as the GS6, which is a nice upgrade from the Note 4 and has proven to be a great performer. The Note 5 also keeps the fingerprint scanner embedded in the home button, as well as the heart rate sensor next to the camera on the back.

In addition to the loss of a removable battery, the Note 5 battery capacity also has shrunk marginally to an even 3000 mAh, down about 7 percent from 3220 in the Note 4. On the upside, the Note 5 now integrates wireless charging (both Qi and Powermat) out of the box, which is something you had to add after the fact on the Note 4 with varying compromises. There's new fast charging tech in here that Samsung claims can charge up the Note 5 in the same amount of time as a Galaxy S6 (with its 2550 mAh battery), and there's also wireless fast charging, so you won't see so much of a drop-off when leaving the wires out of the equation.

With a more efficient screen and processor we could be looking at a Note 5 that gets roughly the same battery life as the Note 4 does, but of course the lack of a removable battery will be a downside for some no matter what. Every phone is a series of compromises, of course, and you have to factor in the upgrade in design, materials, camera and performance as well, which really can't be understated.

Can't ask for much more

Galaxy Note 5 specs

Previous Galaxy Note handsets have been all about the spec sheet, pushing the boundaries of what you could fit in a pocketable phone, and the Note 5 checks all of the boxes — perhaps beside the two shortcomings mentioned above — on internals. An octa-core Exynos processor runs the show, paired with 4GB of RAM and either 32 or 64GB of storage (maybe an admission that the 128GB GS6 isn't selling all that well). The exact same camera setup can be found here as on the Galaxy S6, with a 16MP sensor, OIS, phase detection auto focus and quick-launching capabilities from a double-press of the home button.

Performance improvements, subtle design changes

Galaxy Note 5 software

The general software experience of the Galaxy Note 5 matches the Galaxy S6 about as closely as the hardware between the two devices. Just as we saw with the Note 4's Lollipop update and what eventually came on the Galaxy S6, there are subtle tweaks in this latest TouchWiz — still built atop Android 5.1.1 — but nothing here will alienate any current Samsung users.

The biggest visual changes can be found in the stock icons for the entire phone, which have been spruced up, flattened down and get a little closer to Material Design concepts. Every icon is a bit smaller and has a new rounded square look — quite the opposite of LG's huge and perfectly square icon design. Aside from very small visual changes, everything else works the same as you'd expect — we haven't used the phone long enough to comment definitively on its performance, but given its similarities to the Galaxy S6 we should expect an experience along those lines.

Aside from new S Pen functionality and a couple key features, this is the same TouchWiz we know now.

One truly new software feature is YouTube live streaming, now baked right into the camera app. Right out of the box you can switch modes in the Galaxy Note 5's camera and with a few taps start streaming live to YouTube, something that's not entirely new — Sony does the same with an app and HTC's RE Camera does it — but is a big deal for both Samsung and Google. It works over both Wifi and cellular connections, and is tied to the camera software itself rather than a special version of the YouTube app.

Samsung also has a new screenshot feature that's exclusive to the Note 5 as of now, which lets you capture an entire screen — even what's not currently shown on-screen and requires scrolling — into one full screenshot. For example you could take an entire long-form article from a website or a complex set of directions in Google Maps, and capture them into a single screenshot that can then be read or annotated as a single piece, rather than a series of individual screen-sized shots.

New hardware, improved software

The new-and-improved S Pen

Samsung's Note devices are the gold standard of gadgets with stylus input, and the Galaxy Note 5 keeps pushing the envelope. The new S Pen still slots entirely into the phone, but hides itself a bit better and has a neat trick to be revealed. The S Pen now has a clicky button on the end — not unlike what you'd find on standard a ballpoint pen — that when pressed deploys the S Pen from the bottom of the phone for removal. That means the bottom of the Note 5 can be perfectly smooth with the S Pen inserted, so it won't snag on anything and won't be in the way when not in use.

The first new S Pen feature you'll find is right in front of you — removing the S Pen with the screen off, you can start writing on the black screen — and the phone it will immediately record your quick note. Another tap and you're saving that note for later or unlocking the phone for further use. With the screen unlocked you can still launch Air Command with a press of the S Pen's side button, but it has an all-new look. It now borrows styling from the edge screen on the GS6 edge+, and acts as a simple Note-related app launcher. You can customize which apps appear now, and the Air Command launcher remains on-screen and collapsed, ready to be interacted with after a simple tap with your S Pen.

The rest of the S Pen experience is as strong as ever, with a handful of pre-installed apps that offer the best experience for the peripheral and a growing stable of third-party apps that have built-in support for it. No matter what you use the S Pen for, a combination of new hardware and improved software have reduced the latency between the stroke of your S Pen and the digital ink on the screen, contributing to a more natural pen experience.

Looking ahead

A lot to unpack with the Note 5

In my brief time with the Galaxy Note 5, I can already see how it'll simultaneously draw new consumers into the large phone category, while also turning off more than a few fans of the removable battery and SD card that have so far defined the Note series. That being said, this seems to be the direction Samsung is going with its new devices — and the unification of the Galaxy S and Note lines has its own upsides.

But looking beyond those two "missing" features, the Galaxy Note 5 adds a lot that just wasn't present in the Note 4. A full metal and glass construction, integrated wireless charging, improved camera quality, better performance and smaller dimensions with the same screen size are all really big improvements that you can't shoot down just because the battery is now sealed inside the phone.

Only so much can be taken away from the first hour or so using any new phone, and considering all that has changed in the Galaxy Note 5 when coming from its predecessor that's particularly true here. Though it's closer than ever to the Galaxy S line, there's a lot going on with the Note 5 that's worth talking (and writing) about, and you can bet we'll be doing just that as we spend more time with Samsung's latest Note.

Galaxy Note 5 cases to check out

The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 may have only just been made official, but there already are a number of Note 5 cases in the works that you'll want to check out. We've taken a quick preview ofl cases from the likes of Spigen and Urban Armor — and more are definitely on the way.

Pages

So... Having a glass back that can crack and more metal which removes to option of a SD card and replaceable battery is better? Sure the extra gig of memory is nice, but honestly the whole concept of a more "premium yet more delicate" design while removing important features is getting pretty old. A faster processor with a smaller battery combined with an android version which has battery issues isn't a good upgrade for anyone.

I guess for phone junkies who just want the latest without caring much about it being an actual upgrade or not, it's perfect.

Built in wireless charging is nice and all, but honestly how many people need/want to use the phone while it's charging.. The current wireless charging IMO is more of a gimmick. Not to mention it can easily be added to most Samsung phones for very little $$..

What gets me more is the fact that they still didn't bother to make it water proof/resistant..

Samsung, in a hurry, just threw some random crap together and called it the note 5.

If you use a Smartphone for more than a year or two (heavy users can go through a big battery in 9 months) and depend on offline storage (many reasons for it like - poor internet connectivity or privacy concerns) then this is not a phone for you. Do not be fooled by the pen, the real pen and paper cost far less & feel way better and faster. A note pad and a pen refill can be bought at the nearest kiosk but you can not get non user replaceable battery replaced during a not so uncommon 90 seconds halt by your local stationery shop while driving to office in the morning.

There was a time when Samsung would make an effort to ATTRACT new customers. Now, they are big. So why make an effort? Repackage the S6 and give it to the suckers, they will buy. Take away the removable battery so the suckers will come back in 1 year with a dead battery for a new phone (or a $150 battery replacement). Take away the SD card, the suckers don't need it. Well, this sucker is running away from Samsung as fast as he can!

For the record, I don't like what Samsung has done. But... doesn't anyone remember the reviews from the last couple of years?

Every reviewer always said, "Too bad it doesn't have a premium feel because of all that plastic..."
Or "The back cover feels like it's going to break because of the cheap plastic? " And the comments were also full of people complaining about cheap plastic.

So, after years of criticism, Samsung got rid of the plastic.

Now everyone is complaining because they got rid of the plastic. Lol, isn't that ironic?

So when you hit the multitasking button does it take 5-10 seconds to come up? And when you hit the camera, gallery or Facebook app icons does the whole screen freeze or go white for about 10 seconds before they come up? Because that's how my Note 4 has been for the last 8-10 months, even after a system restore. Most other things are fine, but of course, the 3 most used things on my phone are embarrassingly slow.

So when you hit the multitasking button does it take 5-10 seconds to come up? And when you hit the camera, gallery or Facebook app icons does the whole screen freeze or go white for about 10 seconds before they come up? Because that's how my Note 4 has been for the last 8-10 months, even after a system restore. Most other things are fine, but of course, the 3 most used things on my phone are embarrassingly slow.

I hope Samsung rethinks the Battery SD Card issue and puts in the removable SD card and Battery in the note 6,.... If not I would rather buy a used Note 4 if I had to instead of a note 5. There are some great reasons for the ability to change out cards and batteries. We do a number of videos and need to save them on a disc and it is far easier to pull a card out and swap it. Then the whole battery thing,... Smaller battery and not removable? really? I don't think so. I have had my note 4 since January and I have had the NEED to swap out my battery at least a dozen times. SD CARDS around a hundred times. I have a spare battery in a wall charger in my home and my office. Bottom Line. SAMSUNG IF YOU TAKE AWAY MY FREEDOM TO CHANGE OUT BATTERY AND SD CARD, I'M DONE WITH YOUR PRODUCTS. I hope hundreds of thousands join me so Samsung will learn from the mistake. Unfortunately if you fail here, it could kill your company. By the way don't you recall the ad of the freedom to change out the battery and sd card? To many, anything else is an iphone. Did you notice HTC numbers going down when they did it?

Still in shock, can't believe Note 5 has no removable battery. I kept hoping the rumors were false, but I knew when they were explaining why that they would. Phones will last way too long with a removable battery and they want you to have to upgrade at least every two years to keep making money. That or Samsung stole a bunch of iphone people and that's what they told Samsung Apple does and they sell alot of phones???? I'm afraid LG and all the rest will follow suit to make money too. But I want to be wrong and hope the competitors will grab the chance and make better Pro version phones for us power users with a removable battery, SD slot and great camera. Come on competition, can't you see us all telling you we are now waiting to buy your phones!!!

keeping my note 4 note 5 is just a lilbit faster thats all wait till next year for samsung to try it again
why take da sd card & removable battery option away really that what seperated us android user from iphone user
come on get real

So you've got a super-fast phone ... that can never, ever have more than 64 Gigs of starage capacity, some of which is already taken up by the OS and TouchWiz.

In what alternate reality did they think that would be enough? I have more than that on my phone currently. WHO GIVES A CRAP about metal and glass, have they ever heard of CASES for $900+ mobile computing devices???????????????

This is not intended to be read as a rant, more a brain dump of my logic - so read in a calm voice :)

Note 4 was my first Samsung phone. I like the idea of the s-pen and it is well done but I don't use it a ton, nice to have but not a necessity. That makes the features of the Note 4 that impress me the most being the size, the removable battery and the SD card. I hated the idea of TW and the reality while not as hateful as I expected is a still a massive compromise to get the features.

Battery
The Note 4 battery is brilliant, why they would make a battery smaller is beyond me, even simply the optics of downgrading a battery would be reason enough to shoe-horn in at least the same battery capacity as before. When you are removing features from a phone, downgrading others (even if just on paper) is leaving yourself open to ridicule and criticism. I get 6+ hours screen on time from my Note4 and have a spare battery and external charger which means I never run out of juice and am never tied to a plug, ever - big selling point.

SD Card
I get the logic behind the lack of an SD card if it is about speed and incompatibility with internal memory....but I personally used the extra storage for movies and cartoons etc for my son and for long journeys of my own - speed was never an issue, so regardless of their reason for removal it is still a lost feature for many, myself included.

Size
Other people do the size now, lots of options there, nothing unique about Note in this department now.

So if the Note 4 and Note 5 were both released tomorrow and by different companies as flagship phones - I would go for the Note 4. That simply shouldn't happen, every model bump should be an undeniable evolution. Had they provided a big battery boost to negate the loss of removable and made 128gb the norm alongside their design 'improvements' it might have been a more attractive phone. They might be aiming at the 6+ but the changes are apple-esq design over substance and weaker functionality to 'run better'.

For me the option is stick to the Note4 for a good while longer but if/when I am to give up the battery/the sd card it wont be for the Note5 - why would it be? (genuine question) At this point I would rather have a new Moto for much cheaper (and keep the SD card option) or wait it out for a Nexus - both of which would get me a sealed big phone with better, cleaner software.

Stylus, removable battery, removable SD. I love my Note 4 and since these were the primary features that distinguished it from an iPhone, they were also my main reasons for buying it. It's so frustrating to watch Samsung desperately try to ape Apple across the board, without realizing that the last thing an on-the-fence Apple user wants is more of the same. I'll stay with my N4 until someone (LG?) steps in with a comparable product.

I can't imagine ever buying a Samsung phone again unless they do another Nexus. I would be embarrassed to own one. How can anyone serious about tech take Samsung seriously after the last few years? They are for the normobs.

It looks pretty. The bump in performance is nice, since half the note 4 users I've met complain about lagginess. Not sure a phone for power users should be lacking in storage though, and also not sure why such a small battery in a large device.

And, does anyone else see the irony of the back being a fingerprint magnet on a phone with a fingerprint scanner?

I think the phone is attractive but the glass turns me off because it can shatter. I like bumper cases but even then, it could still shatter. No thanks. For the price... Moto X Style / Pure Edition, and if you are a camera slave, take the $300 and buy an actual camera.

I used to carry the extra battery around in my coat pocket! It's convenient, but not as convenient as having a phone you can beat the crap out of for a literal 24 hours and still have battery to spare ;)

Typically mine is in my work backpack. In Fall/Winter probably one in my coat pocket. On a trip, in my camera bag. But going to a baseball game or out and about... sure I'll stick one in my jeans pocket... the thin spare battery fits better in my pocket than a lipstick or brick charger+cable.

Love the look, can handle the no sd-card but why no 128gb of int storage. I was planning on the Note 5 to have same storage options as the SGS6. I have the Note 4 and recently bought the SGS6 with 128gb of int storage. Why not give the bigger device that is geared to the person who needs storage the larger storage option????? This is the only thing that will keep me from buying the Note 5, this sucks, I was looking forward to buying this device on launch day.

Certainly not waisting my time or money on Samsung or Android for that matter. Hell Samsung takes away the things that most value and Google can't make Android run smooth without eventually bogging down and for the love of GOD they cannot get Bluetooth to work on these devices without cutting out/skipping while the display is off. I've had the Note 3 and now 4, so now I am done! iPhone 6S Plus I'll be looking for you in September! If it isn't an iPhone it isn't an iPhone! LOL

Not having a 128gb model is a complete disgrace...that's the only thing that might have compensated slightly for no removable battery...and making 64 gb the standard...no note user should be happy with 32gb

I bet those people who own & work in a phone repair shop were having little watch parties and celebrating when it was confirmed that Samsung was continuing with that terrible glass back design.

They are the only winners here.

I could care less about losing the swappable battery or SD card support, though having the option to swap & add is better than not, but for crying out loud they really have not learned from the iPhone 4, 4S, Nexus 4, Galaxy S6 & S6 Edge how bad an idea a glass back is?

Note 4 would be my only option if I were in the market for that particular series.

Thanks for the reasoned opinion. I'm fine with other uses cases that don't need removable battery/sd... but I'd like it to come with some tangible benefit besides smooth glass - Like being able take pictures/video underwater, or something... It seems rare that people still see the value of having options or realize people use the device differently; especially since that was always a draw of the Android line of devices anyway (or so I thought.)

It seems obvious to consider the S6 a failure as its sales (apparently) have just about matched those of the S5, but with more perspective it actually appears that they weren't so bad in context. Every other major manufacturer of high end Androids - LG, Moto, Sony, HTC has been decimated this year - the latter 2 to the point that many are doubting their viability in the space. Let's face it - the changes that Apple has made in making iPhones more Android-like (more features and flexibility in iOS, large screens) have just conquered the high end smartphone market. Samsung's priority on style over functionality have at least kept them in the game and profitable, if much less than they had hoped. But that's certainly better than the losses and slide towards obiivion that the other major high end OEMs are facing.
That said, though the Note series has never been for me, I've always thought of it as the 'pro' series of smartphones, and removing the SD card and replacable battery are a mistake that they will find themselves regretting.

Its a big shame really. It just feels like Samsung are trying to throw away everything they have built in the last 4-5 years. They have basically tested the loyalty of their fanbase to to limits by telling them they will release what they want and are not bothered if they alienate anyone.

After everyone complained about the S6, lots said "Don't worry, the Note 5 will still be great". Well it's not - a potentially great phone is hamstrung at every turn, simply because Samsung want to make a statement. The biggest was a big F YOU to Europe which is pretty unforgivable.

I just don't see what they are doing, you are allowed to make a great looking phone AND stick with the majority of features that everyone wants.

They think that people will just buy it on looks alone - that is a dangerous game, especially when their aftersales support is terrible (including updates).

If you want to be like Apple then you have to offer an experience like Apple and Sammy falls way way down on that respect. Better to focus on all the good stuff that you can do rather than chuck it all away trying to gain the customers who would probably not buy your product anyway.

It's like that guy who abandons his friends to go after some girl who doesn't care for him. It will all end in tears.

People who want Apple will stick with it.
Reviewers who wanted questionably 'quality' materials will keep using their iPhones.
People who were on the fence between the two and were leaning towards the Note because it had the removable back/battery/sd have no reason to switch.

That leaves the pen as the sole differentiating feature beyond the OS. And it seems quite a few people who bought into the Note line up through the 4 did so PRIMARILY for the large screen.... not the pen (see numerous articles/posts asking WHO USES THE S-PEN ANYWAY?) So if the pen isn't that big of a draw to "normal" users.... what reason would they have to buy this over the S6+, let alone switch from Apple for it?

So to sum up: Samsung's not going to win over many converts from Apple with this design (if that was their goal)... alienates a core, loyal group of their users.... and creates a device in the S6+ that is so similar (and in some ways better (Edge screen) than the Note.) I think the Note5 will sell like hotcakes!!!!!

(The following seems pretty unlikely since I'm sure they love spreading out major launches of S line and Note line... but wonder if they're considering moving up revamped Note6 launch to coincide with S7... maybe that's why not launching an edge screen or in Europe... reduce production goals preparing for this one the flop? Again, unlikely... but I can dream.)

What's the point of curved glass back, when 99% of users will use a phone case? Many other phones, including Samsung's own S6, now have similar large screens, but my Note 2 and 4 have had two key features: microSD and removable battery. Now that both of those key features are gone, Note is just not compelling. I'll be going back to Nexus phones.

Samsung knows the Note 5 will be a colossal failure "as was the S6", you could tell by their half hearted keynote presentation, which was short and sweet and riddled with constant missteps in their presentation, like oh wait I forgot, it also does this, really, LOL. This phone was already in the manufacturing process way before the S6 failure, they had no way to fix this mess.

It will be interesting to see the initial reviews and also how easy this phone is to dismantle (so the "stupidly" fixed battery can be replaced after a year or so). The Note 5 looks nice but simply won't meet my needs any more - it is broken by design. The idea that Samsung "listen" to users, sounds like a sick joke.

I agree with the mass here, eventhough i LOVE my S6 this is disappointing. I really expected Samsung to ensure the Note series would remain the business powerhouse but all i see is a blown up S6...and that battery size is very concerning. They should have left slim for S6 owners and powerhouse for Note owners...now both models are too similar.

Ihope they bring back the missing important features that redefine the note series the expansion msd crd , removable lithium batt. And i believe the samsung focus now is bring the apple fans to android.. and i believe they will bring back those features the missing features expansion micro sd slot.. and the remove batt and a 3220 mah batt.. cause the 3000mah is a so f*ckn dissapointing.. samsung will bring them next year cause it will affect there sales once this device lauches a big changes will come..

no extra storage with at&t never carrying the larger memory models, no replaceable battery means even though I've been with the note since the original, I'll be looking for a new phone line to go to. I'm hoping the huwei nexus 2015 turns out to be a premier phone. I'll end up having to buy direct in order to get a larger memory model, but I'm hoping that'll be a great phone.

no Ir blaster either huh. wow no thanks I was so wanting the note 5 but with no sd card. and no ir blaster and no removable battery oh they added a glass back so I can crack it like the. older iphones. how nice of them. epic fail keep. the. phone applesung

I think i'm a minority here because i come from the Galaxy Note Edge. But i can tell you 2 things for sure:

1. 3000mah is not bad at all! that's what my Galaxy Note Edge currently has and it's been a year since I have the device and the battery holds for a day easily on average use. Believe me it sounds like a downgrade from 3220mah for the Note 4 but it's not bad at all.
2. Nobody is mentioning the "Apps Edge" on the S6 Edge Plus. That's a KILLER feature for me and my number 1 disappointment in the S6. I know that i'm a minority since it only existed on the Note Edge previously which wasn't a popular phone but i can't live without this feature now and i'm SO HAPPY they introduced it in the S6 Edge Plus, which will be the perfect upgrade from the Note Edge, since also i never use the pen.

These phones look gorgeous, if you really can't live without external storage then u're doing smth wrong, use cloud devices people it's 2015! there's no reason for anyone to "need" external storage.

no reason for external huh? you really wanna upload all 16 seasons of south park every episode to the cloud and then having to stream it and use data. I got 160 gigs total on my note 4. cloud is for small shit. not large files. the note 5 is garbage it don't even have its infamous ir. blaster anymore

You realize that people who load up their devices with huge SD cards crammed with all sorts of video & music are the minority of smartphone buyers right? Just because you, your friends and the thousands of people that visit AC are educated enough & willing to take the time to do that, does not mean the great majority of people who walk into a carrier store will.

For my money I would personally buy the Note 4 and not really because I can take the back off to swap a battery or add some extra storage, though having the option is ALWAYS better than not having it. I just despise the fact they took the worst design aspect of the S6, which to me is the glass back, and made it larger and used it on the Note 5.

The Note wasn't meant for you, if you are just an AVERAGE user. It's meant for business Power users, it was a Pro type phone. Which is why they gave us the option for an immediately 100% battery in seconds, and expandable SD storage. You should be owning the S6.

Ok, so the look isn't original but lets face it, most of us will use a case anyway and the theme/icons are super easy to modify with packs and launchers. What's really odd to me? We know it'll be stupid expensive and yet with no removable battery or SD storage they aren't even offering it in the higher 128GB storage options that the S6 and S6edge come in! Seriously? It's the note line with some much more potential to create content and regardless of the pricing it should still be an option to buy a 128gb. That's a rediculous line to draw if you're going to do at least some copying of iOS devices you might as well recognize that lack of SD storage in a big device means people might want more built in, right?

I have searched this thread with the word SD and it's full of it. What the hell Samsung, very disappointing. I've been rocking all the note series since the beginning. I have an 128gig SD on my note 4 which is crucial for me and work, what I am going to do with this?
You just lost one Note customer Samsung.

Yeah, at this pace, Samsung will probably look at the sales #s in 6 mos and go "Oh, look the Note sales have slowed" .... uh ... I guess people no longer want the S-pen, so we'll just offer the S+ from here on out. :-\

That's kinda what it looks like to me. An experiment to see which sells better the 6+ or Note... and if the Note loses, they'll jump to the wrong conclusion and end the line altogether. (Hope I'm wrong.)

You're definitely gonna be wrong lol. They'll drop the note 6 and say "we listened to what the people wanted and we have returned the sc card and removable battery because the consumers are most important to us" Then all will be right with the world again

If they're not too late! We may have to wait 2 years to see. Many in odd# upgrade cycle (including original Note fans) may have been put off enough to jump ship, being ready for an upgrade now. Currently I'm sticking with the 3 until I either see something better or convince myself to pick up a N4 cheap.

Unlike many of the comments here I find it looks beautiful, seems to be very fast, and is far more premium looking then the previous generations. As to comparing it with Apple products in design, I think this is a very smart move in all respects. The problem is the cost and of course whether the individual feels such a big phone is worthwhile. Personally I'm still rocking my old GS3 which pales in comparison but still performs quite nicely :)

So you are not putting a case on your Note 5 to protect the pretty glass? What is the point of the pretty glass with a case on it? Even with a case the thing will be a worse crack magnet than the S6 already is. I think the Note 4 looks better, but JMO.

The phone will come in 128GB (check samsung.com) but it will not be in stores for purchase only pre-order online with T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint & Samsung.com, Most people think that the phone looks ugly or it looks like the iPhone, but the most important thing that people should focus on is the internal components and features of the phone, not the looks.

I made my comment before reading yours. Thanks for the info on the 128GB, even though it'll be stupid expensive I'm sure. I totally agree though the look is unimportant (one of the reasons I wish they still had removable/expandable features) because it's so important and expensive I'm gonna put a case on it anyway.

I already have a 128GB card in my Note 4, which I can't use in the new Note/S6 hybrid. And I sure as hell ain't gonna pay almost $1,000 for a 128GB phone that I'll probably have to carry around a portable charger in my pocket to get through the day. I count this as a HUGE failure for Samsung.

Ok... Pay almost $1,000 for a 128GB Note 5, or pay $450 for a 32GB Moto X and $70 for a fast 128gb card and have 32GB more total storage. Unless a person has money to burn, it seems the Note 5 128gb is in trouble.

Goodbye Samsung! It was nice knowing you. But, now, since you've decided to combine three actual models...the S line, the Note line, and the iPhone...it's a not so fond goodbye. So stop trying to differentiate your S line and your Note line. I have no idea why you even created an S6+. It's nonsense! True, there are some new features in the Note 5. But couldn't you have made them without giving up the Note's distinct identity? I believe you could have; should have, in fact. And I don't think I'll be the only Note user who believes it. I'm just thankful that LG and Motorola have kept two features for their showcase phones; removable battery and storage. We didn't buy IPhone or S6 because we were happy with the Note. Now, not so much. So, for now, I'll keep my Note 4 (along with many other Note owners). I'll wait for the next LG G? or go with the Motorola X. So goodbye Samsung. And I'm sure I'm not the only one to say that.

I'm really sadden by this, I could possibly live without the removable battery. The no expandable memory and smaller battery I cannot work around and no 128gb option???!!!! I'm completely confused but will look at the moto x. How could you Samsung shame on you. I've been with the note series since the note 2.

You're right. LG is sitting back licking their chops, waiting for all these angry Samsung fans to buy their next flagship that has all the features that Sammy just took away. I'll keep my Note 4 for a while and see what the G5 has to offer next year.

Nice quick impressions Andrew. Two things jump out in this assessment:

#1 Thanks for acknowledging that a lot of people are going to be turned off by the downgrades of sealed batteries and no storage expansion. On the last go round with the S6, the tech media blew all that off like it didn't matter. Looks like you guys have been paying attention to the pissed off mob. Good job balancing + and - here, and not acting like it no longer matters.

#2 My only red flag: You said the new glass back and design replaces the "flimsy plastic" of the Note 4. I have to question whether you have ever picked up a Note 4 or not. Please do tell or show where any point whatsoever about the durable, attractive, grippable, and highly functional Note 4 removable back is flimsy. As you'll find absolutely nothing was flimsy about the workmanship of that device. Even the tech media raved about the improvement over the Note 3, and they were right.

Just to add to your comment: The plastic back didn't break when the phone was dropped, at least that I've ever heard about. It had a good feel, build quality, and was easy to remove and replace. And what advantage does a glass back give you when you put a cover on it to protect the phone? If we Note people wanted an S6, we would have bought them...there would be no need to continue the Note line.

That's the head scratcher in this "marketing scheme" to me also. Sammy had a perfect chance to diverge the two markets and dominate in both. One for the pop culture crowd, which the S6 seems to fit. One for the Swiss Army Knife crowd which an upgrade Note 4 would have fit.

They did the same thing when they made the S5 (S5Mini) look like a Note 3 without a stylus. It seems like they feel their line of devices need near identical design language. But, I can't for the life of me remember anyone who ever bought the whole line.

I'm severely disappointed that it lacks a removable battery and microSD slot. I need to carry 5 spare batteries, 500 movies and 10,000 songs in my pocket at all times, wherever I go. And don't tell me to use an OTA device. It's too bulky. What if I go camping? If I have to bring an OTA, I won't have room for my sleeping bag. And a puny 3000 mAh battery? That's crap. No Note for me, this time. I'm going to get a Moto X Pure, which has a hefty 3000 mAh non-removable battery.

I'm not buying this garbage. I'll swap my S5 for a Note 4. Or maybe, just maybe if they come up with a 128 gig later in the year, I might get that. But the way things stand now, this phone is pointless. It's an iPhone with a stylus and Android. Can anyone recommend a top end flagship with micro sd and removable battery that's better than the S5 in specs?

Mine looks brand new... but I guess that's because I use a case 98% of the time. And I agree, the painted plastic "chrome" was unnecessary.

Metal and glass have drawbacks too. Glass is obvious. But remember the original iphone and ipod touch? Looked BEAUTIFUL, shiny, almost like a mirror. Then 15 minutes later the back was scuffed like crazy. One of the best 'mods' was someone taking a tool to at least scuff up the thing evenly.

Tim Cook is fist pumping right now. If they introduce a stylus its game over Samsung. I know Jobs said the stylus was retarded or something along those lines, but if any other major phone maker comes out with a stylus it's game over Samsung. They completely blew it and will now lose a good majority of their rabid fan base who have swore by them. People looking to upgrade this year will be fleeing to other brands.

I honestly cannot understand why Apple, LG, or another has not just went straight to the shameless copycat drawing board on this. Samsung has had free reign for over 4 years now and a hugely popular device / tech. Yet nobody will copy the idea. Weird!

Samsung has left the door to many Note fans standing WIDE open for LG this time. If they hinted at a "Note" with pen, swappable battery, and SD expansion, I would sit tight. Now, I'm stuck deciding between the Note 5 or just taking the Note 4 for my needs.

Agree completely. Apple may even woo me over should they do this. (Would actually have to SEE the device in action, however.)
Loving Android since OG Droid, but the Note had features the iphone (and most other Androids) just didn't have: Large screen, removable sd/batt, IR blaster, and of course, the pen.

Now that the differention is so small - and recent Android mis-steps (The whole NFC tap to pay fiasco - still no go on my Note3 - Lollipop volume overhaul - SD card usability methods - lockdowns that change functionality of one of my favorite apps (Tasker)... the fact that many highly touted features are removed from even high end Android devices (Raw camera support, multi-user, etc.) All at the sacrifice of some awesome camera/video and other apps on the iOS side.

And I was fine with all that... because the tradeoff was those extra features which I hold important - which Samsung is now removing. If Apple removed that last differentiation (Stylus) I would seriously be interested, at this point. <gasp!>

I didn't even consider that. But wow. if Apple pulled that off - might that hurt Samsung more than all their stupid patent lawsuits? Would also hurt Android as whole... but if the 'whole-industry' is moving that direction as some commenters claim... and Apple decided to 'think different' - what kind of shakeup would that have?

Probably not Game Over for Samsung, but possibly do some damage to the Note line.

Apparently some switched from Apple to the Note series for the larger screen. Some for the pen (or both.) The larger iPhone stole some of those back to Apple. If Apple added a good stylus, it could steal back a few more... plus a good few who are ready to try something new.

While I am an Android user for years and laud its virtues and tell others why I keep choosing Android - I'm also a tech-enthusiast. I'm not naive - I realize iOS does have its good points as well - and for some users, that's a better choice. So as a general enthusiast (not just Android) - if a device comes along that is interesting and seems to fit my needs better than what I'm currently using it would definitely grab my attention. A large iPhone with stylus (combined with Samsung's dropping other features from the Note line) could be just the device to do so (and quite a few others, I would imagine.)

The new Note 5...how very disappointing especially the non removable lithium polymer battery instead of the removable lithium ion battery. That feature alone represents a decisive downgrade from my Note 4. I've cancelled my pre order with my supplier. Sorry Samsung but thumbs down for the Note 5.
The Aug 13 launch in New York was for the most part an amateurish promotion of irrelevant features like a spring-loaded s pen. Can't believe how bad that launch presentation was.

A few comments from a note owner since the note 2. I've upgraded every year to the new phone and have been very pleased with each one. I use it for business mostly as I'm not a game player at all. I'll have to say that I've appreciated having the ability to change the battery but have never done so with the last two notes that I've owned. I guess it's hard to understand the difference between having a pocket sized charger vs an extra battery, interested in thoughts on this. The SD card Storage has been nice but here again looking at where I'm at this moment with internal memory I've got around 15gb remaining with 164 apps installed and I'm not even using my SD card Storage. I purchased an S6 Edge for my wife in the spring and have to say that in the hand these newly designed devices feel great. Anyway not sure about upgrading but am definitely still interested.

And you are probably representative of the vast majority of Note users, most of whom have never heard of an Android blog. However, the VERY vocal minority of Note users will all be here today expressing their horror at the announcement, lambasting Samsung for their ignorance, and declaring their intentions to never purchase a Note 5.

But the vocal minority are more important than you realize, because they create a lot of the "cool" factor for the Note devices. Let's face it, it's a very expensive device as phones go, and Apple is already crowned as the Mercedes-Benz of the category. So they really need someone to champion why people should pay $800 for a Galaxy phone, and the power users (and tech journalists who cater to them) have filled that role.

Disappoint them, and it gets a lot harder to make the case for why someone should pay $800 for Note 5, vs $300-$600 for competing Android phones, or $800 for an Apple that all their friends will ooh and ahh over.

I don't see the point you are making. The majority of Note buyers aren't looking to the vocal minority to justify the purchase of their $800 phone. The majority of Note buyers don't even know the vocal minority exists, or tech journalists for that matter.

As for pocket battery charger vs spare (I actually have and use both (wife has iPhone & use it to recharge my mirrorless camera and other devies on the go) & sometimes I have the charger in my camera bag and not the spare, so I'll use it for my phone then too

Charger Pros:
-Can charge any device (if you have proper usb cable.)
-Depending on size can charge a device multiple times or maybe even multiple devices at once.
-No need to turn off and restart phone.

Charger Cons:
Can be bulky for more powerful ones
Needs cables attached to phone while charging.
Need to have the necessary cables WITH you.
(I've had several cable either become broken or damaged - likely due to being in my jeans pocket - eventually intermittent or no charging - leaving my battery drained when I thought it had been quietly charging through dinner.)
Depending on size may not be able to give a full charge before depleted.

Spare Battery Pro:
- Instant 100% power... go on using your device like you just woke up and pulled it off the charger.
- Charge one while using/charging another. With External wall charger, I can be charging the spare at home or at work desk while using the other. ($20 bought me two batteries and the wall charger.) So including original, I have 3.
- Thinner/smaller/lighter than just about any pocket charger I've seen.
-No cables to deal with - I've gone a week or more without ever plugging my phone in (just because I can.)
-If USB port on device becomes damaged, you can still keep using your device - even though you can't charge directly
(Only thing that kept my N7 going when that happened was that the 2012 version has pogo plugs, so I can charge it still - but only in dock. I suppose same goes for wireless charging... though then need to carry a DOCK with you and not just the external charger.)

Spare Battery Con:
-Must turn off/Remove back/Restart Device
-Only good for single model or device you have... typically won't carry over to new phone.
- Doesn't tuck me in at night.

There's no right option... but at least we previously HAD an actual option - or the option to use BOTH as the need arose.

When I see a review that thinks the plastic backs of yore were flimsy and cheap, and lauds materials like a glass back - I immediately stop reading. Said it before and I'll say it again... we use plastics in our everyday lives for a reason, items are typically cheaper to manufacture (lower-price device (hopefully)), are lightweight (important for a device this size), and durable. Don't know 'bout you... but I've seen enough scuffed, chipped, and shattered backs to know that IS NOT a good look. Sure... a shiny first impression - but shame (and a case to hide it) later.

I may go back and finish the article... but when a reviewer focuses on that as a plus, I begin to doubt other conclusions they've drawn as well. (Much like I discount movie reviews by critics expecting every fun, enjoyable movie to somehow be a life altering/oscar worthy piece of art.)

I bought into the Note line because they were highly functional devices. With expandability (replacable backs/ thin wallet covers; battery & sd.) I'm going to be avoiding this new iteration for the same reason. I will really miss the s-pen... because I do use it regularly. But I use removable battery swapping more. I hope the Note4 starts selling like hotcakes. (But not before I buy one at a discount!)

Can you imagine someone coming out with aircraft grade premium ALUMINUM and GLASS tires for your automobile. Then Car & Driver or Automobile Mag editors all frothing at the mouth over how premium, low tolerance, and high quality those tires on the new care are? Then go on to call rubber tires, cheap or "flimsy"? Although, these might look amazing in press shots and on showroom floors and roll outs at the auto shows.

But, when it came to actual functionality where an automobile actually gets used (a roadway), they would be a fragile and slippery liability. But, then to the rescue, they would offer an expensive durable rubber protective cover to protect your fragile premium materials. Of course, that would cover up all that glory, but at least it would be hidden under there so that you would feel better about having truly PREMIUM aluminum and glass tires.

These phones a M-O-B-I-L-E devices. Not, portable laptops or computers. They are ubiquitous in our daily existence. Which, like car keys / fobs, wallets, pens, purses, or hair brushes etc, ARE going to be dropped. Glass is simply not premium for use on one of these, except for those that excessively "baby" their phones in a controlled way. And putting a fat rubber / plastic case to protect it all is the height of irony.

Last week I was in AT&T looking through devices. Low and behold the mighty premium Galaxy S6 had .... wait for it .... the glass back shattered in spider web shape surrounding the little sticky circular mount on the back. After 5 iterations over 5 years of the Galaxy S line, the premium device is the first one that breaks the back while sitting in the store for handling. How premium of Samsung.

This is the bubble the tech media seems to live in. I finally quit trusting these reviewers when I got my first Note (3). I nearly avoided the device altogether b/c of the tech media's universal trash talk of Touchwiz. But, I bit anyway and found that I liked the Note better than my less featured Nexus phone. No, I don't use 1/2 the features TW offered, but the ones it did were simply better. The giant slow-down from it was basically imperceptible. This versus the Nexus experience that the Android media constantly frothed at the mouth over.

After that, I realized I had better learn what actually works best for ME, and take their herd-like opinions very lightly. Just my experience.

Which is the reason most intelligent people cover their $800+ mobile devices with protective cases.

Which, incidentally, is why I don't get all the hoopla about "premium design." Wouldn't CASE design be the thing you'd want to pay attention to, and leave the phone with the most functionality you can put into it?

Was wondering about that... both the wallet and S-view made excellent use of the removable back. Kept thickness to a minimum by only adding to the front of the device. Never got one for my Note3 because of initial problems with the s-view cases not working properly... but probably would have gotten one for N4 (or Note5, if I were still going to buy one.)

I can't believe Samsung crippled the Note line like that. I did not think it was an issue with the changes they made to the GS6 since they had the Note line. Now that they went ahead and butchered the Note line like this, I am lost for words. Why? The Note line had a purposed, with those changes, Samsung just took them away.

I agree that the AC faithful are pretty much insignificant and that Samsung is going after iPhone customers. I also agree the Note 5 is better than the iPhone 6+ and it'll probably be better than the 6+S ... that said, iPhone has never been the best phone, yet people live and die by them. that's a tough nut to crack, and I'm just not so sure it'll prove successful for Samsung. I would've thought it would've been smarter for them to compete within Android, and concentrate on building what they're good at, instead of trying to lure iPhone fans. of course I'm not privy to their information, and I'm sure they've spent millions on researching this very subject before deciding to take this path. only thing I know is I'll have a Nexus or Moto, looking for change and Samsung did the opposite of what I'm looking for these days, which is a high end, bloat free phone at a reasonable price.

The actual device is secondary to most Apple users and the ecosystem and iTunes are primary. As long as a good device Apple users stay and they continue to grow. The loss they did have was lagging with bigger displays and now have that covered. Samsung has no ecosystem and obviously no iTunes. Current Note users that want the missing features will leave the Note and Apple will gain very few Apple customers.

I though will stay with the Note 4 and might consider the 64GB Moto X Pure.

Most folks who are members of this site are enthusiasts. Unfortunately the majority of Samsung's clients and more importantly prospects (ie. People currently using iPhones) are not. So from a product management perspective Samsung is betting that they'll win over many more prospects than they'll lose existing clients by removing the expandable battery and SD card, and going for a more sophisticated look.

While I'd also prefer the removable battery and definitely think the SD card is a must in a phone that maxes out at 64GB, I suspect that this bet will pay off for Samsung because they will win over Apple customers to a much larger degree than they'll lose Samsung customers. After all (not withstanding the iPhone 6s+), the specs on this kill the iPhone. The screen is the best there is period. The ram at 4GB will get rid of any remaining lag. Wireless charging is non existent on iPhone. The S-Pen is very useful, and even Apple has finally realized that (See iPad Pro), the camera here is far better than iPhone's. Etc. All in all its a better phone that the iPhone 6+, significantly more usable as a phablet even thanks to the back button, running multiple apps (ok, that's coming in iOS 9), etc.

So you are not a gamer or use other apps/media that consume storage. All people are different, but there is a reason the microsd industry is now billions of dollars and correlates to Android device growth ;)

Like I said in my post, I was curious. I wasn't impugning anyone else for what they have on their phones, I was just asking a question to better understand why some people require so much storage. I play my games on my tablet and I stream my music so I don't need as much storage on my phone as some people do.

20 full length movies, 300+ songs encoded in high quality, complete blueprints of every floor of large buildings. That's just what I have on my phone; everyone's needs are different and I'm cool with that. I often find myself in tunnels and third level basements, where the cloud is useless, so local storage works better for me.

No Apple person is going to drop Apple simply because a Samsung phone looks like an Apple phone. Give me a break. They want that stupid Apple icon on the back, period. Or, at the very least, they prefer the OS which is still different.

No, but former Note owners may very well decide that since Samsung is trying so hard to make the iPhone, they might as well go get the real thing if they are going to get anything.

Why pay the same premium price for a copycat that doesn't have the same brand cachet as the original? At least with the Note 4, owners clearly understood why they wanted a Samsung phone and NOT an iPhone. Now it's not so clear.

They really will not, since iPhone users are vested in the Apple ecosystem and iTunes. The device is almost secondary as long as a good device. The only sales Apple lost were people that wanted bigger displays and Apple covered that. Samsung will lose a LOT more current Note customers than they will gain from Apple customers.

Samsung is not a contained ecosystem and there is of course no "Samtunes" that customers are centric to. The Note is about to take a sales and install base hit. Seems a strategic fail.

Why do you insist metal and glass are an "upgrade" to plastic? These are physical things with physical properties that have both good and poor uses in a phone. there is no such thing as 'better' physical properties without a context. The combination in a phone is sometmes better or worse but none of them is 'better' across the board. A plastic back is often 'better' in terms of feel and grip than metal.

I agree with you. I love soft touch material on a phone. My Nexus 5 and my Evo Shift both had plastic soft touch backs and they were the best feeling phones I have owned. They were also the most durable and showed no signs of wear after years of use. Glass and metal scratch easily. I'll pass on glossy plastic all day but plastic done right is superior in my opinion.

Agreed, my favorite combo is metal on the sides and a soft touch back. You get a ridged frame and a much less slick back. You can get away with a metal or glass back on a smaller phone because you can actually grip it but anything in the 5.5"+ range is often held on fingertips.

The only people I've ever heard complain about plastic are people who were only ever going to use iphones away and the media. Everyone else was living in the real world and putting their phones into cases where you can't tell what the casing is anyway.

I'd also like to make a point about those plastics, again, car-related.

My mom drives a 2007 Nissan Versa hatchback and the plastic on the dashboard is your typical cheapskate plastic, Hard and flimsy, kinda like earlier Samsung phones and TBH, the white Galaxy S5.

I sat in a 2015 Ford Focus Hatchback Titanium the other day and the plastics used in that car just screamed "quality" and "premium". They're REALLY soft and they had a leather texture. They're almost LIKE leather, although not really. But the difference in quality is significant. In fact, it's exactly like the plastic used on the black Note 4 and Galaxy S5, and that's why I prefer that sort of material.

I'd pass due to the battery. I don't care about storage and lack of sd card. I get by fine with my 16GB nexus 5. I also don't care about a sealed battery. But, not having a phone last through an entire day of use is incredibly annoying to me. I really don't care how thin a phone is. I was extremely happy with and still would be happy with a phone as thick as my Nexus S if it could get through an entire day of use after I've owned it for a year.

The "can do no wrong" advertising that is mixed in with this site is so annoying sometimes.

I went from a Captivate, to a Skyrocket to the Note 3. The locked bootloader on the Note 3 realy pissed me off but I like the phone.
But I will not buy a Note 5. It is ugly, combined with battery not being removable and no micro sd and it will be locked bootloader again on AT&T/ Verizon. It is to much like a IPhone. I will go with a Moto X Pure or LG 4.

Wow so much hate. I'm not a diehard Samsung user, nor Note user by proxy, but I really like Samsung's new path on design and build quality. I started my smartphone path quite a few years back with the OG iPhone and iPhone 3G, then moved on to Android on Verizon with the OG Droid. I've been an Android user ever since, using all different kinds of makes and models, but one thing I've always missed was the phenomenal build of an iPhone. Google's OS just suits me so much better than Apple's though, so I've stayed. My Nexus 6 was definitely a good step in terms of design and build, but I honestly can see myself using a Note 5.

You are part of the problem. Because you've convinced yourself that "premium materials" like glass and metal result in a better build quality, you've pushed Samsung to change their design in that direction. Meanwhile, glass and metal are less durable and can cause issues with antennas. Style over substance. Form before function. Those of us that value what the Note line has provided us in the past are rightfully morning the death of a great device line.

You are right.... they should have made the Edge Plus for people like you that are looking for iPhone like materials. However, the note shouldn't have been changed to a smaller battery with less storage and less flexibility. If they would have put a bigger battery and maybe all else equal, I might have been swayed, but I would rather not downgrade with my "upgrade".

I am very seriously for the first time considering not upgrading and keeping my Note 4 until the new big Nexus comes out. Maybe I will change to that, but as of now I don't see a phone that is a must buy for me. Maybe the LG G4 Pro if that ever comes out.

I think if people want an iPhone looking phone they will buy an iPhone, the S series is a series for a not very demanding user but the Note series is supposed to be for people who do a lot more with their phones and are, almost by default, power users. I think I'll invest in a 128gb micro sd card and take better care of my Note 4 'cause I'm note charging it any time soon.

I have been holding back on all my comments, but I can't hold back anymore. I have upgraded Notes from Note 1 until Note 4 on day one of availability. There is no way that I will upgrade( I find it hard to write that word) to the Note 5. I have a 128 gb micro sd card with aprox 30 gb available. If Samsung thinks I am going to sit around and try and edit and download 90 gb of music, pictures, videos into 64 gb of internal storage they must all being on a lot of better drugs than I am on. Clearly they have written me off as a loyal consumer. I love my Note 4 and I will hold onto it while I take my time and investigate other phones with expandab
le storage.

I feel that the Galaxy Note 5 is to Samsung what New Coke was to the Coca-Cola Co.

I know that it's from Coke, I know that it looks like the old Coke, I know that it IS more updated and unique from the old Coke, and I know that it was what Coke should have been for the future. But it Just. Isn't. Coke. I drink it, and it's not Coke. Yes, it says on the tin it's Coke and it's from the Coca Cola Company, but New Coke WAS NOT GOOD COKE. And look what happened to the New Coke - it alienated the Coke Population so much that 1/ Pepsi gained from it, and 2/ Coke had to reinstate the "Old Coke."

Same goes for Samsung. I know that this is a Note 5. I know it's a better Note in valuable metrics. But it Just. Isn't. A. Note anymore. This is a brilliant smartphone. But this is NOT A GOOD NOTE. The Note Was THE BAR for Android phones, the ethos of the anti-iPhone (productive, brutish, unapologetic, bold, powerful.) But this,... This is New Coke. This is NOT a Galaxy Note.

I was thinking this too. I read an entire book on the Coke blunder back when I was in marketing. Did you know that the mistake actually improved Coke's brand identity because loyal fans who felt offended by the formula switch became more attached to the Coke brand? It was unintentional but ended up being a positive in the long run. Unfortunately, I don't see Samsung righting the ship in the future to take advantage of this effect.

i could not have said it better myself as your words mirror my exact sentiments. After all the trimming and compromising that Samsung did to the new Note (S6-S), they lost me completely when they made 64gb the biggest storage option, if a smaller non-removal battery and no sd card did not suffice. If i did not know better i would think that this was financial suicide, certain ruin for the company and a splendid display of total capitulation to Apple. The Note series use to represent the paragon of mobile technology, a robust and innovative marvel, at least 6 months ahead of the S series and any new smartphone launched in the same calendar year. Sadly that is no more and I will be keeping my Note 4 and looking somewhere else for my next device to satisfy my yearly upgrade fix..

I have a Note 4, I am a heavy user. I was at a music festival this weekend and it was very convenient to just be able to slip in a fresh battery and keep using the phone while my iPhone toting friends had to recharge for an hour, or use a bulky external battery.

I also have most of my apps (and all of my photos) moved to the SD card because 32GB just isn't big enough. I use a 128GB SD card and it's about 70GB full.

Exactly! I can't tell you how many times my son's iphone was dead and I was able to just pop in a battery and keep the party going taking pictures, etc... It is a deal breaker for me not to have a removable battery!!! It's crazy! But I know they don't like phones to last long.

" A full metal and glass construction, integrated wireless charging, improved camera quality, better performance and smaller dimensions with the same screen size are all really big improvements that you can't shoot down just because the battery is now sealed inside the phone."

Yes. Yes I can. Nothing added equals what was taken away. Alast, the Note 5 will not be joining my Note 2, 3 and 4. It was time for a change anyway.

You summed up perfectly my feelings about this phone. I've owned a GNote since 1, and the 4 will be my last since Sammy have decided to take this road. The Note 4 is a heck of a phone, one of which I was not complaining about performance or the camera before the 5 was introduced. Smaller dimensions, does that even matter when we are talking GNote?

I love my Note 4. I don't even care that it probably won't get an update considering Samsung takes out the best features anyway. The ONE thing about L I was excited about was the prospect of multiple users so I could have a "Work" and "Home" profile. Nope, Samsung decided I didn't need that, apparently.

Was just thinking that too. How often is it one could possibly have bought a phone at full price a couple months before its successor comes out an NOT have buyer's remorse? I'm kind of upset I didn't get the Note4 on my upgrade plan LAST year so I could have been enjoying it all this time. :)

Used mine on vacations for hotels/etc that either remote was lost/broken or not programmed correctly. Used it when somebody was trying to to a presentation using projector and the remote battery was dead. Most dSLR's can be fired remotely & with 2 second delay via IR command... I've been using that lately. Its one of those features you ask WHY? at first, but then find reason to use (not like many of the eye-tracking and other gimmicks in touch-wiz which I end up turning off.)

Many people with a Note wonder why there is a stylus... wonder if that's the next thing to go?

Yeah... or $800 music player?
... $800 notepad
... $800 alarm clock
... $800 calculator
... $800 <name minor feature here that smartphone does>
Or how about an $800 PHONE while we're being real here. IR blaster was a "feature" among many that some of us found useful. ;)

Actually, people used to pay about that much for a touch screen programmable remote. And literally... I built my own IR device using two LED's from RadioShack, and a headphone jack for my GSIII for like $2 to control my dSLR .. so its not that costly of a feature hardware wise. Was just nice to have it always there and not dangle from my headphone jack (kinda like its nice to swap in a fresh battery and not have a powerpack dangling from my usb.)

This is going to fail miserably. Rival phone makers have to be drooling over this news. Obviously Sammy is more concerned with copying the iPhone 6 Plus features than trying to improve on the unique features that set it apart and lured users towards it in the first place. Pass

May even open the door to Apple... been Android fan since the OG droid... but man - if Apple releases a Stylus device... what will THAT do to Samsung's market share? The devices are so similar now that at least a portion of users who ONLY used Android for the Note's large screen has switched back to iOS... how many more if the stylus advantage goes away.

Would have to see it in real life, but EVEN I could be lured away if that happened due to iOS better selection of camera and video/image editing applications. As of now - no way... but the possibility has never been closer for me.

I'm starting to think that the users who want an SD card and removable battery are not the target market and Samsung knows this. While it sucks for us niche of "power users", I think it may be the smarter move by Samsung. If you had to choose between the Note 5 or having Samsung scrap the entire Note line you really can't win. At least this direction allows us (though few) to keep our beloved S-Pen.

Haha, oh come on now. I have the same battery since the Note 3 was released and don't have this problem! I can see it exacerbating a problem for people constantly on the move for sure, but they're not going to sell a phone with 3-4 hours of use.

My note3 OG battery drains up to 15% on a 30 minute drive to work with gps running (and not charging.)
Swapped in a new battery (same capacity) and it only drains 5% in same conditions. (Plus, I can still use the OG battery as a spare in a pinch.)

Those users who want an sd card or removable battery are probably a far larger niche than those who would buy a Note 5 over the presumably cheaper 6+ and it is a missed opportunity for them to minimise the differences between the two models.

That's so odd to me... I bought the Note 3 for the S-Pen which I use regularly. Was the Note series the first phablet or something? So many people never seemed to use the s-pen. This makes me wonder why the battery/sd card thing is such an issue when there are so many alternatives available w/o a stylus.

I am one of the users that rarely if ever uses the S-Pen. In fact, I have six co-workers with Note's 2 through 4 and myself (Note 2). None of us use the Stylus for more than a gimmick. Each and every one of us can get things done far more efficiently without that silly thing. If you want to know why many people went with the Note series back in the day and have stayed with it, you have to understand the markets back then. Here are the reasons I remember as selling points for my purchase.

1) Screen size. It was far and away the biggest. Other Samsung's could match the PPI but not the size, and no one else could match the clarity. PPI is pretty good on most competitors now, but three to four years ago that simply was not the case.

2) It came with a FAR superior battery. The Note 2 just lasted forever when using the phone for more than texting, as compared to anything on the market. Meanwhile, competitors purposely kept their PPI lower so that they could shove a non-removable underpowered battery in their phones and rip people off.

3) The battery was removable! The problem here is that many users want to upgrade every two years. It is just not cost effective despite all the marketing ploys. If you want to keep a phone more than a couple of years, you will end up needing to replace the battery as it's life shortens. Anyone who says otherwise just doesn't understand battery technology or they assume the reduced battery is only due to change in how it is used or software issues. Nope. Other companies want to ensure you will upgrade every couple of years by forcing you to be stuck with a dying battery.

4) Removable SD card. Yes, Yes, Yes. You could go to a competitor and pay $100 more to go from 8 to 16, or $200 more to go to 32. When 64gb came out it was the same nonsense. Same with 128. Meanwhile, Note users could buy the smallest version and then go buy a third party SD card upgrade for a third of the price (and get one with better benchmarks if they followed some of the testing sites).
Some people wanted more than just a cheap upgrade. If you are a true music fan and record in FLAC or something better than Mp3 (streaming is the suck for quality) you can chew up 128gb in space in no time.

5) Processor and internal RAM were also a bit better, though they really have never overcome the bloat and inefficient software (anyone who thinks the iOS is not better at this is just a sad fanboy for Android and Sammy).

So, given all those features have now basically been met by competitors or removed by Sammy, the only thing left is the Stylus and a pretty glass back. If Sammy thinks that will hold up sales I think they are in for a big surprise. By the way, does anyone really keep a 5" smart-phone without a case over the back these days? I never see that so who gives a dime what the back looks like?

I will state this. For those wondering what Sammy is doing, just read the original article. Over half the article talked about how the phone looked and felt. The MEDIA is a big cause of the problem. They are so concerned with looks of the package instead of what truly matters it disgusts me. That being said, I fear the media actually represents a large percent of the buying public who lovingly plops down more and more money or removes provider flexibility all for the sake of 'looks' and 'perception'.

For me, I waited for this phone for six months. I won't say there is no chance I will buy it, but I seriously doubt it. I might still stick with Samsung, but if so it will almost certainly be a Note 4. If I do go non-removable battery it will be the s6 Edge I would guess (not paying $100 extra for basically the Stylus). Before I do that, I will be taking a close look at other brands for the first time in over three years. I would just stick with my Note2, but the Wi-Fi seems to drop when none of my other devices do (and frequently). I guess I should Google a way to fix that given I won't be getting the Note 5. What a major disappointment. While not a fanboy of Samsung I was as close as you could get. Two tablets, three phones (if counting purchases for g/f) over the last three years. They pooched this one.

Have a Note3 and was really looking forward to upgrading to a Note5, but now I don't know. The battery size is a serious issue for me. I can barely make it through the work day on a single charge. So they are going to an even smaller battery? How stupid is that? Even if the phone is more effeciant with power, why wouldnt they give it a bigger battety on top of that so it lasts even longer? One of the biggest problems with phones is the crappy battery life and they make it worse.

I am also on a Note 3 and can burn through battery life. Mainly because I haven't replaced my existing battery haha. I use wireless chargers at my office desk and at home and I rarely have issues. On the road I have portable battery packs that work wonders. I can tell you that the battery/charging tech on my wife's S6 is pretty damn impressive and she's never had battery issues like she did on her S4. I feel like between the battery tech and new wireless charger I personally won't ever have issues. Totally understandable issue for those always on the move.

See my post a little below... should really try replacing battery (got two from Anker for about $20 and I'm simply amazed at how long a new battery lasts.) I think most people must think its the OS updates are causing the issue - or some may even think "the device is wearing out"... when really it just may need a easily replaceable fresh battery popped in.

And a swappable battery is SO much easier than battery packs- no dangling cords/wear on usb as its constantly jostled on-the-go. Should give it a try while you still can.

So true! I can order a new battery every 6 months for my S5 and it does wonders! I use my phone non-stop during day and when one of my batteries gets older I can only go about 7 hours. Pop in one of my newer bought batteries and I can get 12 hours easy (and that's screen on bright, web, etc..). Removable battery is the only way I will ever like my phone. I can tell that they don't want my phone/battery lasting that long and just want me to buy a new phone. So I can see the future that there will be No phones with removable batteries and your old phones (S5, Note 4, etc..) will never get updates or anything and will make them not work with apps etc.. and force you to buy the non removable battery phones!!!

Same here on battery life. All the battery saving features are useless when working in the core of a building that is constantly dropping your signal. Can burn through a battery on my Note 3 in 3-4 hours on a bad day

BTW, the 128GB did not sell well with the S6 since was too expensive (until recent price drops). Most current S3, 4 and 5 owners had the money sense to get that was a bad deal. Even more so for Note owners. I expect sales to get hurt and Moto X to gain share from folks wanting the storage. Moto X could have had a bigger slice if non fixed battery. Catch is Motorola has to actually supply enough devices- something they are not super good at.

Yeah, um that's the friggin problem with non expandable storage. Pay a shitload for a 128 gb phone which is still not enough storage, or a pay reasonable amount on a phone with expandable storage and slide your already purchased 128 gb card in.

Because Samsung's new strategy is "don't try to be different than all your competitors, try being exactly the same, because that's a sure fire way to get people to become loyal and pay premium prices".

Madness, utter madness. Samsung management has literally lost its mind and needs to be fired and replaced with sane people.

Oh well, this just confirms all the previous leaks, and very likely drives bunch of people away. Or toward buying Note4. Bunch of gimmicks. Funny that one of their first slides is "listen to you (consumers)". BS. You didn't listen, Sammy. And now we don't need to listen to your BS anymore.

The fanboys will still love it, but I don't think either of these will sell as well as Samsung hopes. I do have one question.......can either of these two phones keep an app open in the background? Does the 4GB I'd ram even make a difference?

I was a big Samsung fan. Two phones and two tablets.
No Note 5 love here. I hate phones that put glass on the back - great now if I drop my phone I can break the front and the back.

I am pretty much done with Samsung. I left Apple years ago because of the lack of options, and charging you through the nose for memory. Now Samsung has built their phones based on the Apple model for one purpose, to raise the ASP of their phones

I'm a former Sammy and Note fanboy and I feel so betrayed that I want to organize a boycott of all Samsung products in hopes of bringing the company to its knees so I can give them an ultimatum. Give us back our features or go bankrupt!

As for 4 GB of ram? A recent leaked Note 5 benchmark showed that just turning on the Note 5 requires 2 GB of ram. So Touchwiz is so bloated that 4 GB doesn't guarantee this puppy will fly and remain lag free for years, its like the Soviet union.

The Soviets generally sucked at hardware compared to the US, so they tried to make up for it with shear numbers. Apple can benchmark right alongside Galaxy phones running on 3GB of Ram on octacore chips while doing so with 1 GB of ram on a duel core chip because they've optimized IOS so much.

Moto is also doing wonders with optimizing software because they are running stock android + moto assist (not even a skin)

I have no real bias when it comes to Android manufacturers. I think it looks nice, and high quality. Unfortunately, I just don't see it being different enough, and the battery and SD card changes (not to beat a dead horse) will have an impact on sales.

When I look at these two phones, which will surely be very expensive, and then look at the Moto X Pure, the decision is obvious for the value. I would be inclined to pick up a Pure just because it's so cheap, and if it isn't great I don't feel like I spent a ton.

At the same time, 5.7" is a pretty huge screen. I have a G3, but the bezels are very small. I might wait for the smaller next Nexus, should it come to fruition.

I wish this were so, but Samsung released the one of the biggest phone viral marketing campaigns ever for the S6 launch. Will be interesting to see how many Note 5s they have to give away to get a lot of positive posts in the forums.